FROM THE TEE

Communication key to playing a good game in life and on the green

There, they’re & their; to, too and two.

Unfortunately, the English language is difficult to grasp. Have you ever read any old English

texts?

English belongs to the Germanic languages, and the Celtic language preceded it. Then, it was influenced by Latin, Germanic and Scandinavian dialects and finally by the French.

There are three main periods: Old English, Middle English and Modern English. Through the years, across many countries and because of the millions and millions of people that have spoken English, there have been many alterations to the language. For non-English speaking people, our language is not easy to learn.

Today, especially in the U.S., we have really altered the proper way to speak English. As a whole, Americans do not speak or write in English very well, or at least as intended. We often hear statements like:

“Me and Johnny are hungry.”

“That there tire is flat.”

“Them’s some fine lookin’ boots you is sportin’ right there.”

Eighth-grade grammar has somehow or another been lost or discarded by many people. But, sadly, the fact is that not many people notice or care in today’s world. The same could be said for golf. For example, the word 'fine' could be an adverb that we often use in our day-to-day conversation. “How are you doing today?” “Fine, thank you.” In this reply, we are accepting that the person we are speaking with is in good health. Right? Well, guess what? After 22 years of coaching golf, I’ve learned this definition is not the same for 17 to 21-year-old student-athletes. When I ask the guys how they are doing in their math class, and they are doing fine, I know that they are not doing well. They are actually up to their neck in quicksand for that class. Through the years and by coaching golf, I’ve learned that there is a proper way of speaking English, and then there is a practical means of speaking English. An example would be people in the healthcare industry. They tend to speak way over my head. Years ago, when this would happen, I would nod my head as if I understood what they were saying, then walk away at my first opportunity. Now that I’m a little wiser, I reel them in, tell them to stop and ask them to speak to me like I am 6 years old. I do this because I have no clue as to what they

Communication Matters

Get down to eye level to teach a beginning golfer.

are saying to me. I humble myself and ask for clarification because I will understand what the doctor is saying, and the visit becomes a fruitful one.

Communication is so important in everything we do, but clearly, it is not simple. When crossing into another form of work, sports field, going to a different part of the country or visiting another country, we should make an effort to learn how the people speak.

We, who consider ourselves professionals in our various industries, should be well aware that others who are new to our game, business, industry or activity will not be well versed in the terms or slang of our language.

When speaking with a person or a group that has not had the years of experience we may have, stop often and clarify to ensure that they are on the same page with us and all clearly understand one another.

Communication also is key in the sport of golf. The golf professional, when giving a lesson, should be crystal clear in his communication.

Let’sImagine a fairly new golfer who wants to learn how to hit a different pattern golf shot, like a fade or a draw.

Some right-handed golfers call a fade a shot that flies left to right in the air and continues to fly right as it falls. That is not so. That is a slice.

A fade flies slightly left to right in the air then falls straight down onto the ground. Then, just as with a draw, it flies right to left to its apex, falling straight down. A ball that continues to turn left in its descent is a hook; hence, communication with the teaching instructor is key. If communication is not clear, the new golfer may ask for something he or she really doesn't want or need. 45 years ago, I lived in Birmingham and worked as the assistant pro at Inverness Country Club. My old roommate, Rich Ritter, worked as the assistant golf professional. At the time, Jon Gustin was the head professional at the country club, and he was well-known for his tremendous ball-striking ability and teaching skills.

After visiting Rich one afternoon, I asked Mr. Gustin to help me with my golf game. He asked what I was hoping to accomplish.

At the time, my game was all about hitting a draw or a hook, and I really wanted the ball to turn the other way, to a fade. So Gustin grabbed a bag of balls and said, “Let’s do it!”

We got into a golf cart and headed down to the driving range. After I had hit a few balls to warm up, Gustin asked me, “Do you want your golf shot to turn to the right, then fall straight or do you want your ball to fly straight, then turn to the right as it falls?”

After all the trouble I had been getting into with the draw and hook shots, I quickly responded to Gustin, “I don’t care. I just want the ball to move from left to right.”

After making that statement, Gustin turned away, got

From the Tee into the cart, and drove back to the pro shop, leaving me standing on the practice tee all alone. To say that I was miffed would be a great understatement. At that moment, I thought that Gustin was a real pompous son of a gun. Of course, I wasn’t really thinking gun, but he shouldn’t have done that to me. Frustrated, I grabbed my clubs, walked to my car and drove home. I fumed about this for about a week. Then one evening, it hit me. Gustin wasn’t the one that was a jerk. It was me. I had given him a vague answer to a distinct question, and he truly wanted me to be better than that. So, with this revelation, Dave Jennings the next day, I went back to the country club and found Gustin working in his office. I said, “Mr. Gustin, you asked me a very good question the other day, and I gave you a poor answer. I apologize. When you have time, would you mind teaching me how to hit both fade shots you asked me about?” Immediately, he stood up and said, “Good for you. Let’s go.” We all could do a better job in communicating with one another. We often are quick to pick a side and become deaf to the opposing side. When we do this, we create division. When we have division without communication, we create distrust and dislike. When we have distrust and dislike, we then have real problems. We’ve all seen this in the political realm, and it may be as bad today as it ever has been in our country. When we have a lack of communication or bad communication between golfer and instructor, we may very well have students who don’t get what they had hoped from their instructor. When students don’t get what they hoped for from their instructor, they could become disenchanted with the game and choose to quit. Should the golf professional say something that the golfer doesn’t understand or want them to make a move that they cannot feel, the golfer should stop the instructor and say they don’t understand or cannot feel that particular movement. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. A good instructor can find an alternate way to engage the golfer into a movement that needs to be felt. Once the golfer feels the movement, the instructor should move on, but communication is key. Crack the code. The golf professional is trying to share the secrets of the game, but the golfer has to let them know when communication is unclear. If they are going too fast or too slow, stop them. Then, once everyone is on the same page, both parties will progress much faster, and the student will become a better golfer. ~Dave Jennings is the men's golf coach at Central Alabama Community College.